The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a group once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the pools play out according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
RWC 2027 Draw
Pool A
- New Zealand
- Australia
- Chile
- Hong Kong
Pool B
- South Africa
- Italy
- Georgia
- Romania
Pool C
- Argentina
- Fiji
- Spain
- Canada
Pool D
- Ireland
- Scotland
- Uruguay
- Portugal
Pool E
- France
- Japan
- USA
- Samoa
Pool F
- England
- Wales
- Tonga
- Zimbabwe
